'Leucospermum reflexum' is a rounded, silvery grey-leaved shrub with deep orange to crimson flower heads which flower from Spring. The more or less elliptic, simple leaves are covered with dense grey hairs. They are about 20-55 x 5-13 mm, with 2-3 glandular teeth at the tip. The rounded flower heads occur at the ends of the branches and are between 80-100 mm across.

Each flower is tube-like and made up of velvety floral parts called the perianth segments on which the anthers are placed. These surround the long style which escapes from the tube to form the 'pin' and the perianths then curl away from it. Young flowers are curved to start with, and then bend back toward the stem as they mature. The common name of rocket pincushion is very apt because these downward bent styles look like the fiery tail of a rocket trailing behind it.

When planted into the garden, the site should be sunny and well-drained and the plants should be well-mulched and watered regularly until established. A slow-release nitrogenous fertilizer which is low in phosphates but containing trace elements of Fe, Mg, Zn, Mn, and Cu is advantageous.

These plants are valuable in the garden as really colourful attractive feature plants or background plants to shorter material. The grey foliage will help highlight any other plant grown near them.

They are excellent cut-flowers, lasting well in the vase, with both their bright flower heads and grey foliage adding to the impact of an arrangement.

Their value for attracting nectar-feeding birds, especially sugarbirds, is great, and for this reason alone deserve a space in any garden with suitable growing conditions.

Height 2m+. Width 1.5m.